does Gayatri refer to Saraswathi?

Doubt: does Gayatri refer to Saraswathi?

Answer

Gayatri is a Devi and a Vedic metre or Chandas too with three paadams of eight letters apiece.

She as goddess is having three forms Gayatree Savitree and Saraswathi.

Maybe she is the goddess of words Saraswathi too.

And the vedic reference to Saraswathi especially Rigveda implies a river of that name, the Devi Gayatri we invoke in the mantra and also the Vaag devataa or mother of letters too.

We can choose to see all these as one or as three separate deities.

It is our choice

what susutains me is...

I do not believe it is the gravity and my excessive body weight and the two doddery legs that keep me on this earth.

Really what binds me to this terra firma

is

the bonding with my family and my friends

and

the beauty of this earth

and

the attractiveness of all that moves

and

all that do not move here

They hold me firm as if bound by a spell

And of course add to that

the sweet yearning for that Infinite one whom we try to freeze in some finite form..

Krishna

it is the compassion of the Guru that alone can make the truth reveal itself

बुद्धेरगोचरतया न गिरां प्रचारो दूरेगुरुप्रथितवस्तुकथावतारः।

तत्त्वं क्रमेण करुणादिगुणावदाते श्रद्धावतां हृदि पदं स्वयमादधाति॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रुचे ४४७५ १९५० महाभारते

buddheragocaratayā na girāṁ pracāro dūreguruprathitavastukathāvatāraḥ|

tattvaṁ krameṇa karuṇādiguṇāvadāte śraddhāvatāṁ hṛdi padaṁ svayamādadhāti||

indiśce spruce 4475 1950 mahābhārate

Since truth is far more vast and deep that what could be easily comprehended by the mind, such truth cannot be easily expressed in words. Truth is beyond mere words. The wisdom imparted by the Guru or preceptor even about very well known things is actually far beyond the reach through mere exchange of words between guru and the disciple. However, the words and the process of exchange of knowledge and the contents thereof percolates into the mind of the disciple and settles there all by themselves, buttressed by the faith of the disciple on the preceptor and because of the mutual conviction about the genuiness of the idea and more so by the bounty of compassion, mercy and other noble benedictions that flows from the preceper to the disciple.

Yes, it is the compassion of the Guru that alone can make the truth reveal itself in the heart of the disciple.. It is silly and arrogant to presume that words and technques and gimmicks would kindle knowledge and make truth bloom

we become what we seek and get associated with

बुद्धिश्च ह्रीयते पुंसां नीचैः सह समागमात्।

मध्यमैर्मध्यतां याति श्रेष्ठतां याति चोत्तमैः॥

इन्धिश्चे स्प्रुचे ४४७३ १९७९ महाभारते

buddhiśca hrīyate puṁsāṁ nīcaiḥ saha smāgamāt|

madhyamairmadhyatāṁ yāti śreṣṭhatāṁ yāti cottamaiḥ||

indhiśce spruce 4473 1979 mahābhārate

The mind, intellect, capacity to think and even the process of thinking and the attitude of human beings sink to abysmally low levels when they are in constant companion with people of low and inferior mind, attitude and are of mean behaviour.

When people are in contact or association with mediocre gents, they too manage to get pegged to similar level of mediocrity.

And when people are in constant contact and devoted association with great souls, they too attain the same exalted levels of greatness sooner of later.

Yes, we become what we seek and get associated with.

analysis

पुंसां of human beings बुद्धिः intellect, mind, thinking capacity, attitude नीचैः सह with lowly people समागमात् as a result of association with ह्रीयते become sunken, become rotten सा बुद्धिः that same mind मध्यमैः सह with mediocre people समागमात् when is in association with मध्यतां याति. Reaches the level of mediocrity सा च that intellect उत्तमैः सह with great souls, with men of class समागमात् when associated श्रेष्ठतां याति reaches highest levels of exaltation.

Castor shrub being worshipped as if it is a holy and respectable tree,

अल्पज्ञः पूज्यते ग्रामे विशेषज्ञविवर्जिते।

देशे वृक्षविनाभुतेऽप्येरण्डो हि वनस्पतिः॥

सुभाषितम्

alpajñaḥ pūjyate grāme viśeṣajñavivarjite|

deśe vṛkṣavinābhute'pyeraṇḍo hi vanaspatiḥ||

subhāṣitam

A person with limited and inadequate knowledge would be given a lot of respect in a remote village area where education is rare and no scholar could be found.

It is just like the Castor shrub being worshipped as if it is a holy and respectable tree, when it is found in a place where all the trees have been cut off.

അല്പജ്ഞഃ പൂജ്യതേ ഗ്രാമേ വിശേഷജ്ഞവിവര്‍ജിതേ।

ദേശേ വൃക്ഷവിനാഭുതേഽപ്യേരണ്ഡോ ഹി വനസ്പതിഃ॥

സുഭാഷിതം

പഠിപ്പും അറിവും ഇല്ലാത്ത ആളുകള്‍ പാര്‍ക്കുന്ന ഉള്‍നാടുകളിലും കുഗ്രാമങ്ങളിലും വലിയ അറിവും വിദ്യാഭ്യാസവും ഒന്നും ഇല്ലാത്ത, പക്ഷെ സ്വന്തം വാക്കുകളുടെ മിടുക്ക് കൊണ്ട് മറ്റുള്ളവരേക്കാള്‍ ജ്ഞാനി ആണെന്ന് എല്ലാവരെയും ധരിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ കഴിയുന്ന, ഒരു വ്യക്തിയെ എല്ലാവരും ഏറെ ബഹുമാനത്തോടെ നോക്കിക്കാനുന്നുണ്ടായിരിക്കും.

മരങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നും വലുതായി വളരാത്ത, അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ മിക്കവാറും എല്ലാ മരങ്ങളും വെട്ടിമാറ്റപ്പെട്ട ഭൂപ്രദേശത്തില്‍ ഒരു കാഞ്ഞിരമരം ഒരുപക്ഷെ ദിവ്യത്വം നിറഞ്ഞ വനസ്പതി ആയി ബഹുമാനിക്കപ്പെട്ടെയ്ക്കാം.

Knowledge should not be shared with persons who are not receptive

धर्माथौ यत्र न स्यातां शुश्रूषावाऽपि तद्विधा । 

 तत्र विद्या न वक्तव्या शुभं बीजमिवोषरे ॥- मनुस्मृति 

 dharmāthau yatra na syātāṃ śuśrūṣāvā'pi tadvidhā । 

 tatra vidyā na vaktavyā śubhaṃ bījamivoṣare ॥- manusmṛti 

 A teacher should never attempt to impart education in an environment where there are no resources and the student does not have a mind inclined towards righteousness. Knowledge should not be shared with persons who are not receptive, courteous and respectful. If knowledge is shared in such indifferent conditions and to such non responsive people, the action is like sowing seeds on barren fields. Nothing good will happen. 

 धर्म righteous action अर्थौ reasonable affluence, resources यत्र where न स्यातां the two things are not present तद्विधा righteous and fair शुश्रूषा interest in listening and learning अपि too न वर्तते is not present तत्र there विद्या education, lessons न वक्तव्या should not be imparted, should not be give तद् that ऊषरे saline barren land शुभं high potential, of high quality बीजं seed इव like व्यर्थं भवेत् would go waste.

 ധര്‍മാഥൌ യത്ര ന സ്യാതാം ശുശ്രൂഷാവാഽപി തദ്വിധാ ।

തത്ര വിദ്യാ ന വക്തവ്യാ ശുഭം ബീജമിവോഷരേ ॥- മനുസ്മൃതി 

 ഒരു ആചാര്യനോ അധ്യാപകനോ ധര്‍മ്മവും നീതിബോധവും ഒട്ടും കാണാത്ത ഇടങ്ങളിലും പിന്നെ ഒരു വിധമായ വിഭവങ്ങളുടെയും ലഭ്യത ഇല്ലാത്ത ഇടങ്ങളിലും പിന്നെ നല്ല വഴിയില്‍ ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ വിദ്യ സ്വീകരിക്കാന്‍ താല്പര്യം ഇല്ലാത്തവരുടെ ഇടയിലും ഒരിക്കലും അറിവും ജ്ഞാനവും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കരുത്. പകര്‍ന്നു കൊടുക്കരൂത് . അങ്ങിനെ ചെയ്യുന്നത് തരിശു ഭൂമിയില്‍ നല്ല ജാതി വിത്തുകള്‍ വിതച്ചാല്‍ അത് പാഴായിപ്പോകുന്നത് പോലെ തന്നെയുള്ള ഒരു പരിശ്രമം ആയിരിക്കും.

if you are inclined to get cheated, there will be no dearth for cheats and conmen

बहुबुद्धिसमुपेताः सुविज्ञाताः बलोत्कटान्।

शक्या वञ्चयितुं धूर्ता ब्राह्मणं छागलादिव॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रुचे ४४२२ ४६२२ पञ्चतन्त्रे

bahubuddhisamupetāḥ suvijñātāḥ balotkaṭān|

śakyā vañcayituṁ dhurtā brāhmaṇaṁ chāgalādiva||

indiśce spruce 4422 4622 pañcatantre

People who have smart brains which may be even crooked, who have tricky wit and who are in a group of greater numeric and physical strength, could easily deceive or mislead simple and credulous people. This was what exactly happened in the case of a poor brahmin with a he-goat he received as a gift.

The Panchatantra story goes like this

A simple and guileless brahmin, a professional priest once was presented with a he-goat as gift by somebody during a ritual.. For him, it was a windfall and he was carrying the goat on his shoulders and walking along the street in the direction of his home. Some wily fellows roaming around saw the goat sitting on the shoulder of the bramin and they wanted to take away the animal from him through some deception, so that they could either sell the animal or have a sumptous dinner. The brahmin would not part with the animal if a direct approach was made. Therefore some fellows from the street smart group just walked behind the brahmin and started talking to each other in low voices that the poor brahmin was carrying a dog on his shoulders. According to them, the brahmin was presented with a pup in the place of a calf and was deceived, and that by carrying a dog, he was losing his own religious merits. The brahmin first refused even to lend an ear to the conversation. But the smart people pursued and repeated the conversation in different tones and manners. After some time, when a lie was repeated too often, the innocent brahmin started having doubts about the identity of the burden he was carrying on his shoulders.

After some time the brahmin eased out the goat from his shoulder and placed it on the street, as if to examine whether it was goat or dog.

The group of thugs pursuing him closely lost no time. They just snatched away the baby goat, and sure, had a nice dinner.

The poor brahmin who had developed self doubts just got cheated of his small possession high and dry.

Yes, if you are inclined to get cheated, there will be no dearth for cheats and conmen

A king or the state should never ignore or treat negligently even a boy.

बालोऽपि नावमन्तव्यो मनुष्य इति भूमिपः।

महती देवता ह्येषा नररूपेण तिष्ठति॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रुचे ४४४६ १९६७ हितोपदेशे

bālo'pi nāvamantavyo manuṣya iti bhūmipaḥ|

mahatī devatā hyeṣā nararūpeṇa tiṣṭhati||

indiśce spruce 4446 1967 hitopadeśe

A king or the state should never ignore or treat negligently even a boy. The boy too is a human being, and the human being is standing on earth as the reperesentation of the Divinity or God himself.

It is not mere tall talk. In our Indian culture, where Democracy in the current shape was not exactly in vogue, the rules of procedures and the statutes clearly provided for the rights of boys, weaker section of the people and the under privileged.

when numerous individuals gather and fight, they would become strong enough to defeat the strongest enemy

बहूनां चैव सत्त्वानां समवायो रिपुञ्जयः। 

वर्षधाराधरो मेघस्तृणैरपि निवार्यते॥ 

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रुचे ४४२४ ४६२३ वृद्धचाणक्य

bahūnāṁ caiva sattvānāṁ samavāyo ripuñjayaḥ|  

varṣadhārādharo meghastṛṇairapi nivāryate|| 

indiśce spruce 4424 4623 vṛddhacāṇakya

Although very weak when considered separately, when numerous individuals gather and fight, they would become strong enough to defeat and conquer even the strongest enemy. The insignificant pieces of straws when stacked together, could resist the torrential outpour created by huge rainclouds